'Walking Dead' Has Another Bad Week
by EG
Ratings for this week's episode of The Walking Dead fell by about 5 percent from last week's episode, which in itself saw a drop of more than 20 percent from the previous week's season premiere. The decline is just the latest step in a downward trend that actually began with the series' sixth season in 2015.
The fall-off is getting steeper, though. Through the first three episodes of season 8, the series' average ratings are down by about 15 percent from last season, and they're off a shocking 33 percent from the series' peak in season 5. TWD is still one of the most-watched series on TV, but if the trend continues, it won't be able to make that boast for much longer.
Season 8 of “Shameless” started well for Showtime on Sunday.
The channel’s top-rated series returned with a 0.7 rating among adults 18-49 and 1.86 million viewers. That’s the best premiere for the show since its third season in January 2013 and up a good amount over last year’s debut (0.5, 1.24 million).
Following “Shameless,” new series “SMILF” premiered at 0.3 and 768,000 viewers. It landed outside the top 25, but Showtime says it’s the channel’s best series debut since “Billions” in early 2016.
“The Walking Dead” (3.8) led Sunday’s rankings but declined a bit from the prior week’s 4.0. “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” returned to Bravo with a 1.0 and also gave a boost to the shows that followed it, “Xscape: Still Kickin’ It” (0.7) and “Married to Medicine” (0.6).
Get all the numbers at TV By the Numbers.
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